How to Mix Alizarin Crimson in Watercolor

A deep, transparent cool red. Perfect for shadows and glazes. This guide gives you the pigment ratios that land on #8A1B2E in watercolor, using the same solver that powers the Chromilla mixer.

Target

Alizarin Crimson

#8A1B2E

Mixed result

99% match

From these pigments

#891B2D

Pigment recipe

Checked August 2026

Ratios calibrated for watercolor. Start with the dominant pigment, add the modifiers in the order below, and adjust in 5% steps to your target swatch.

1. Alizarin Crimson
PR83
88%
2. Viridian Green
PG18
7%
3. Titanium White
PW6
5%

What colors make Alizarin Crimson?

Alizarin Crimson, Viridian Green, and Titanium White, in roughly a 88:7:5 ratio.

How to make Alizarin Crimson in watercolor

Start with Alizarin Crimson at about 88% as your watercolor base, then work in Viridian Green and Titanium White in the order above. Adjust in 5% steps until the swatch reads #8A1B2E.

Why mix Alizarin Crimson instead of buying it

Mixing Alizarin Crimson yourself lets you approximate an expensive or hard to find tube from pigments you already own, match Alizarin Crimson across paint brands whose factory tubes differ, and rebuild the exact color when you run out mid painting. The recipe above is the working starting point.

Common mistakes

White cools and chalks a mix as you add it, so tint in small steps and stop before it goes pastel.

Get this recipe for your paint brand

Open the live mixer with Alizarin Crimson + watercolor pre-loaded and calibrate to your tubes.

Open in mixer

Related mixing guides

Pigment mixing is subtractive, so small ratio changes matter. The mixer refines this recipe to your brand and updates on the fly.